Rumsfeld vs. McGovern
Did anyone attend the speech at the Southern Center for International Studies and catch the kerfuffle between Donald Rumsfeld and Ray McGovern (and other protesters) today?
It’s been all over the news and the progressive blogosphere, but I wondered if the reaction of the attendees or Mr. McGovern is more indicative of sentiment in Atlanta or nationwide or both or neither?
And why pick Atlanta to publicly go after Rumsfeld in this setting?
Anyone? Am I just not doing my homework here?
I realize McGovern is a vocal critic of this administration – going so far as to advocate impeachment – but why pick this speaking engagement to confront Rumsfeld?
Is it the proximity to CNN? Does McGovern live here? Does anyone care that this happened in Atlanta?
McGovern was in town to accept an award at an ACLU banquet last night. I was lucky enough to attend and hear him, Rev. Tim McDonald, and Anthony Romero speak. Powerful stuff. As McGovern put it, “I decided to attend the Secretary’s lecture when I realized that he would probably not be attending mine.”
I don’t think it has anything to do with Atlanta. The majority of Americans now think that the Bush administration lied us into a war we shouldn’t have started. The insular nature of the administration and use double-speak and even flat out lying about pre-war statements pretty much guarantees that these confrontations will happen any time a situation isn’t tightly screened.
It would be healthier for these things to be investigated calmly in congress, but the GOP has not allowed that to happen. So it is going to happen in public venues and press conferences.
precisely, jonathan. in a healthy democracy, leaders should often have to interact with the people who put them into office. in fact, good leaders welcome the chance to defend their ideas and actions against scrutiny.
this has not been happening in the united states for the past 5 years, thus it is noteworthy when our so-called leaders get confronted with their failings.
witness both this incident and the colbert affair.
Thanks for the responses.
I really was trying to educate myself on the circumstances of the event and also gauge the response of the general (or at least blog-reading) populace of Atlanta.
Thanks again, and I agree with everyone.
Although some folks have expressed concerns over political commentary/coverage on the Metroblog. I think if we try to foster discussion (as I hopefully did in the most neutral way I know how) that’s a good thing.
My two cents.
I think the standard lefties vs. righties wars in the comments would get mighty tiresome, mighty quickly.
While I’m a lefty myself, I respect a lot of conservatives and have a lot in common with them (I’m very civil libertarian and WANT the GOP to be fiscally responsible to match the Dem tendency towards throwing money instead of thinking at problems).
But the kinds of reasoned conversations that generatlly take place face to face between people with disagreements are very hard to foster on line.